


Let's Burn This Town And Be Done

by hyunchkinkity



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies), Teen Wolf (TV), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Bad Friend Scott McCall (Teen Wolf), But so is Stiles, Derek Hale Deserves Nice Things, Derek Hale is Bad at Feelings, Derek Hale is a Little Shit, F/M, M/M, Protective Derek, Stiles Stilinski is Derek Hale's Anchor, Stiles Stilinski is Pushed Out of the Pack, Stiles Stilinski is a Little Shit, Stiles Stilinski is a Stark, and now i feel like a fall out boy, sadly erica boyd and allison are still dead because of plot reasons but i wish they werent
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-17
Updated: 2021-03-01
Packaged: 2021-03-10 23:54:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,138
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28135749
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hyunchkinkity/pseuds/hyunchkinkity
Summary: After Allison, Erica, Boyd, the Nogitsune, but especially after Donovan, Stiles needs to get the hell away from Beacon Hills. So he grabs the other person who needs to leave the Hellmouth as much as he does and heads for New York where his biological father and his adopted family live.IN NEED OF A BETA, because I'm too lazy to learn grammar properly and correct myself.
Relationships: Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski
Comments: 31
Kudos: 330





	1. Thanks for the memories, even though they weren't so great

**Author's Note:**

> Hi love, this is my first Teen Wolf fic and it's probably gonna be shit. But enjoy anyway! ;)
> 
> Tags will be added as I'll continue this rollercoaster.

Surviving the Nogitsune was hard and dealing with the aftermath was perhaps even harder. But Stiles was nothing if not his father’s son and a survivor so he did what he did best and he pushed through with the help of his wit and self-protecting overuse of sarcasm.

If anyone asked, he was doing good. Well, good was too strong of a word for it but he was doing - as well as could be expected. And if he wasn’t, he certainly didn’t show. The aftermath of the Nogitsune was devastating. While Stiles couldn’t exactly be called a fan of the Argents, he couldn’t hate them with so much passion anymore either. _Him_. What once used to be a family, even if a dysfunctional and psychotic one, left now a lone man standing alongside his ghosts. And Stiles, Stiles felt like he was at blame for it as well. It started with Allison, sweet turned psycho turned sweet Allison, after her followed Erica and Boyd. Hell, even he and Scott could be classified as zombies thanks to the Darach. The last ones standing from the original pack were those who got away. Stiles didn’t know much about Jackson and Isaac anymore, but that didn’t really bother him, seeing as they were never close. All that he knew was that they were safe and sound and he was happy for them, that they could find peace somewhere else because _let's be real here Stiles, if they stayed, they'd probably be dead by now._

This town, or whatever it was, has devoured everyone who fought for it with passion and Stiles? Stiles knew that forgiving him for what the fox demon had done would be a challenge for Scott, but he didn’t expect it to be so painful or final. The only one he had left anymore was ironically Lydia, who didn’t even know his name before all this supernatural shit started no matter how he tried. The only thing was, now that he was certain that she finally noticed his existence, he didn’t want her anymore. Stiles would always love her, she was beautiful, wickedly smart and loyal, but for him, she used to be a fantasy and those are meant to be crushed by reality anyway. He would always love her, but only as a friend, which was coincidentally the same as she felt for him nowadays. They both had changed, but it didn’t mean that he wasn’t glad for her friendship, he definitely was - she was his only remaining friend after all.

Then the whole deal with Theo and Donovan happened and the last thin thread of hope he was holding out for his friendship with Scott vanished into thin air. It was the last kick, a reminder that his life as Stiles Stilinski - the boy who ran with wolves, has reached its end. It hurt, of course it did, this was his whole life that he had carefully built over the past seventeen years that he needed to burn and never look back at.

It would have destroyed a weaker minded person, but not Stiles. No, he would analyse every moment that went wrong and learn from it, hoping to never again making the same mistake as before. So it was only natural that right now, when he wasn’t welcome in Beacon Hills by anyone barring his father and Lydia, Stiles would choose to survive and leave. 

He wished he could stay, wished that his dad and Lydia would be reason enough to fight on, but the truth was - Stiles was exhausted. Exhausted and broken beyond repair and even though he would stay if John asked him to, he’d be dying on the inside, vanishing little by little, day by day, not unlike his former friendships with Scott and Malia. Because there wasn’t any other bond to break anymore, all of them were dead and buried. 

The only one who managed to survive Beacon Hills beside him mostly in the same form he started with was an ex-Alpha Sourwolf, Brooding EyebrowsTM Asshole extraordinaire, whose only sane remaining relative ran screaming from the horror that was their lives in the Hellmouth. They still weren't friends, not exactly, even though Stiles felt pretty sure they weren't just acquaintances either. They saved each other's lives way too many times, yet never spent quality time together to be able to form a proper relationship. Yet, they couldn't say they didn't know each other - they shared memories together, had enough material for private jokes to last for a year and trusted each other beyond what would be acceptable given what their 'relationship' was. 

Whatever their relationship was, Stiles didn't really care at the moment. What he cared about was that Derek had it even worse because of this town and its cruelty. The majority of his family had died here, his sister later on as well, then there was the whole deal with Peter and Kate, the Alpha Pack, the Darach... Honestly, the guy was in the shining iddle of it all and if someone needed to leave this black hole, Derek Hale was a number one candidate with Stiles in his heels. In other words, Stiles realised that Derek was the only one who was as lost and as alone in here as Stiles was. And so the plan began.

  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  


“What.” Derek spat out the moment he opened the door to his loft, even though the “his” part was debatable if you asked Stiles, since the werewolf never bothered with actually renting or buying the place. How he was actually able to live there would forever be labelled as an unsolved mystery, put safely in a box where no one would ever find it. Though why anyone would bother, Stiles didn’t even try reasoning.

“Nice to see your shiny personality too Derek!” Stiles grinned, unfazed by the hostile welcome. “I missed you too and before yousay anything, yes you did miss me. Glad we cleared that up. Talking about clean, this place looks like someone has put a little effort into it.” Stiles chatted while sneaking up on the older man and sneaking into the (again, highly debatable) living area. Derek, surprising no one, didn’t respond to the verbal vomit and only proceeded to stare or more like glare, at the unwelcome entity that was suddenly everywhere but where he would probably want Stiles to be. Namely, anywhere else than in his loft.

“Okay, this is awkward.” Stiles sighed. “And to think I only wanted to lighten up the mood.”

“What’s wrong.” Derek said - asked? - through gritted teeth, like it was costing him everything to even say that much. Or maybe like Stiles was testing his patience which, admittedly, he probably was, though such a quick response to his charming wit was unusual even for McBroody right there.

“Nothing, why do you automatically think something is wrong?”

“Because you’re here.”

“Yeah well, nothing is happening at the moment that I know of, all of our asses are probably safe for the time being so maybe lose that stick you’ve got upthere?” Stiles tried, which only got him an unimpressed raised eyebrow as an answer. 

“So, I was thinking - no remarks there Angry Wolf, we both got nothing keeping us here anymore. That’s the harsh reality, such a cruel world. You have tied all your loose ends here and I got chewed up and out, so I was thinking of blowing this popsicle stand and moving to New York. I even got permission from dad, have a fresh start, you know? And I thought why not ask the one person who probably doesn't want to be here either to come with. And sure, you’ve probably got memories back there that you might not want to be reminded of but...” 

Stiles was rambling, he knew he was rambling, but he wasn’t able to stop himself anymore. At least, until he was interrupted.

“When?”

“What?” Stiles blinked stupidly at the werewolf.

“When are you moving?” Derek asked again, his voice and expression perfectly unreadable, which in Stiles-speak would forever mean hostile. _It’s okay_ , Stiles told himself, _it’s not like you expected fireworks and shit._ Really, he didn’t, yet there was a small ball of hope inside him that said that maybe, maybe Derek would see his point and wouldn’t leave him on his own. Not that he wasn’t practically used to it by now.

“Sorry, I don’t know what I was thinking. I’ll just ..” Stiles mumbled and went straight back for the door when a firm hand grasped his wrist.

“When are we leaving Stiles?” Derek repeated his question, this time allowing a bit of emotion to show in his voice.

“The day after tomorrow.”

“Transportation?” There was the ball again.

“Everything’s already paid for. I even have a place for us in New York where we could stay. For free actually, we would be living with my family. They want to keep an eye on me and I think my uncle wants to adopt you? Admittedly that’s a little creepy even coming from...”

“Okay.” Which -

“What?” - made Stiles turn monosyllabic in return.

“I’ll come with. You’re right, we both need to get out of this town for good before it manages to kill us too. It’s the smart thing to do Stiles and if you're leaving, I'm going too. I'm sure as hell not staying here for Scott.”

“Sure, sure..” Stiles was panicking a bit. Alright, a lot. He hoped that Derek would be dying to get out but didn’t actually think that he would come with him. Now, that that box was open wide, Stiles grew restless with each passing second. It meant that he needed to come clean with everything he had lied about to everyone but what was even more surprising, he really, really wanted to, which made him even more nervous in return. He never even told Scott. In retrospect, Stiles was glad he didn’t. It was hard at the time they were almost inseparable, to have a secret he couldn’t tell to his best friend, his “brother” but someway, somehow, the prospect of telling Derek felt right, if slightly terrifying. 

“In that case,” Stiles continued. 

“In that case you should probably know that not only Stiles isn’t actually my first name, but that I have two surnames as well. I never told Scott, it’s kind of a huge secret in our family, but seeing as we’re going to live with them in a few days, I feel like you should know.”

Predictably, the only reaction Stiles got from Derek was a raised eyebrow. For a second, Stiles wondered if Derek got it patented in the past. So, Stiles took a deep, steadying breath before continuing his monologue.

‘My biological dad who lives in the Big Apple by the way, is kind of a huge celebrity you know? Which you don’t, so let me start over. Um. John isn’t my biological father, someone else is, kind of like Jackson but the polar opposite. Jackson’s adoptive family is rich while his biological family was probably poor. And I’m not saying that dad is poor, not really, it’s just that pops is kind of a big deal and disgustingly rich at the same time too. It's kind of why we never told anyone, to keep me safe from harm's way.’

“You’re adopted.” Derek manages to hesitantly say or ask, in that probably patented as well Hale way, before Stiles shoots him a look.

‘Yeah, I know. Shocking, but John did practically raise me, so.’ Stiles replied in a very ‘so not amused’ dry tone and a very specific 'here-you-go' hand gesture. “Also, I have a brother. A half-brother. Same sperm donor, different mother, two years younger. Honestly, I'm surprised there aren't more of us.” 

Stiles wasn’t able to look Derek in the eyes throughout the whole conversation and when, when he finally dared to steal a glance at the older man’s face, something broke inside him. He told someone and that someone didn’t look at him like he was suddenly a stranger which Stiles had previously been afraid of. If anything, there was a supporting expression on Derek Hale’s face. AN ACTUAL EXPRESSION ON DEREK HALE’S FACE. Stiles would have to mark this date in his calendar. 

“You never told Scott?” Derek asked Stiles. And if anyone asked Stiles, he’d claim the expression on the werewolf's face was hopeful. But Stiles wasn’t that great at reading Derek since the man nearly never took his blank mask of indifference off so what did he know anyway? That could be any expression of any kind and Stiles would be still left here guessing.

“Yeah. Never. And I have more to tell you but that can wait for our flight.” After all, keeping Derek in the dark would probably come to bite him in the ass later anyway.


	2. I Wonder If Your Therapist Knows Everything About Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Complete with mistakes. ;) Enjoy! Also, I love the title - you know - Derek, therapists, running jokes and all that jazz.

The day before his and Derek’s departure, both John and Lydia insisted on spending as much time with Stiles as possible. It was nice, Stiles thought. Lydia threatened to fly over to New York if Stiles didn’t answer her phone calls and John chipped in with his demand to video call at least once a week. Scott didn’t even know he was transferring, but he had his new best friend, so he probably wouldn’t care all that much anyway. And why would he when he was the one to end their friendship, blaming Stiles for both Allison’s and Donovan’s deaths. 

The flight was nice as well, peaceful. Stiles took a deep breath as the plane took off. It felt final. It felt like he was leaving for good, leaving all of his old lives behind. The happy child, the researcher, the sacrifice and the killer. Scott still had Lydia, who, while not being one hundred percent pro Scott happy camper, ultimately wouldn’t let him and his new pack die. 

‘Except for Theo.’ Lydia had said, resentment clear as day in her voice.

‘Fuck Theo.’ Stiles had agreed. And of course he felt bad for leaving town while knowing fully well what kind of a person Theo is, but it wasn’t like he could do anything about him when Scott wouldn’t listen anyway. They had Lydia who would watch out for them and play Supernatural Switzerland with Deaton. Sure, he felt bad for leaving Lydia behind but she didn’t want to leave for New York with him, he offered. 

Stiles didn’t spend too much time thinking about them though, since he needed to have a talk with Derek before they landed. It wouldn’t be a pleasant conversation, yet it had to be done. Stiles risked a glance at the werewolf sitting next to him.

‘What is it?’ Derek growled. _Probably not a fan of air traffic,_ Stiles thought.

‘You know how I told everyone I’m fine?’ Stiles risked. Literally risked, because the look he received from the wolf was one hundred percent murderous.

‘Are you trying to tell me you’re not?’ And _seriously_ , _how does the guy even function? How does everyone think he’s human? There, light growling for breakfast, threatening for lunch and murderous for dinner?_

‘Dude, can you stop it with the growling? I don’t want to attract attention and you don’t either.’ Stiles shot him his best unimpressed side-eye and continued. 

‘Anyway, yeah. I may have slightly played it down with chances of glitter. It’s not like Deaton can do anything about it anyway. I’m not possessed anymore but I don’t think I’m one hundred percent human either? Also, I may still hold slightly less disturbing and hostile conversations with the fox from time to time. But it’s basically harmless, it’s powerless, but still somewhere inside me. I don’t even know how that is possible but it is.’

And this was the time when Stiles realized that leaving Beacon Hills with a trigger-happy werewolf with a martyr complex wasn’t probably his best idea. However, it was also the first time Stiles saw so many emotions at one, maybe even at any given time on Derek’s face, which he didn’t even know or think possible. There was hurt, fear, confusion, protectiveness, hope and so many more right on display for anyone to see. _Wait, hope?_ Now, Stiles was just feeling pretty sure that he had been given the real life version of powerpoint presentation on Derek Hale’s facial expressions, trial version and yet had no clue whatsoever how to interpret them in the given situation. On the plus side, he now could write a manual proving it really is possible for Derek ‘I’ll rip your throat out with my teeth’ Hale to have feelings.

‘What?’ Derek pause. ‘How?’ Another pause. ‘Why are you telling me this?’ He finally decided on a question.

‘What do I mean harmless? The fox doesn’t have any power anymore, I have all of it and that’s why I don’t think I’m entirely human anymore. It can’t hurt a fly if it tried. Definitely can’t make me do shit.’ Stiles paused to give Derek a meaningful look.

‘How is it possible? Don’t know dude. How am I not human anymore? Well, that is a conversation for a later date. And as to why, someone needs to know. Someone who knows about my past. In Beacon Hills, it was Lydia. Now it’s going to be you. Even though the fox is basically just a voice in my head right now, who’s to say that it will always stay that way? Plus, I promised her that I would tell someone and my best choice is you. I can trust you.’ Stiles says. What he doesn’t say is the obvious - I can trust you to kill me, you did it once before, you’d do it again. I can trust you to recognize the signs. I trust you to make the decisions.

‘You can trust me?’ And yes, this was a very shitty thing to say to Derek, it wasn’t like he enjoyed it the first time but he really was the best choice, the safest choice. So, Stiles understood the rage behind the question, yet was unable to take the words back because if he did, that might just have terrible consequences. So, he did the only thing he could think of and started singing.

‘Oh, baby, baby, the reason I breathe is you. Boy, you got me blinded. Oh, pretty baby, there's nothing that I wouldn't do. It's not the way I planned it!’

‘So I should stab you baby one more time?’ Derek dryly replied.

Stiles knew that this was a risky move, singing Britney to a pissed off rage suppressor, however he felt the need to lighten up the mood and it looked like it worked exactly how he planned. There was still hearable rage present, but it wasn’t the only thing that was present. Stiles thought that he could even feel a bit of fondness behind the words. It confused him, sure, but at least it reassured him in his belief that he would live to see another day. Plus, if Derek Hale felt like joining in on the joke, he couldn’t really be that pissed off anyway.

‘Yeah, and stay with me so that I don’t lose my mind.’ And that was it, Stiles realized that he may have accidentally jinxed himself just seconds ago because then he playfully winked at Derek as a part of the joke. Winked. At. Derek. Fucking. Eyebrows. Hale. _Yep, you’re dead bro,_ ran through his mind in a weirdly specific Scott McCall voice, which would be a thing Stiles would rather not touch with a ten foot pole, right before he was saved by the air hostess asking Derek if he would like any refreshments.

_Thank god._ He thought. That was a near miss, he realized as he let the mortification and relief run through the entirety of his body. 

They didn’t talk for the rest of the flight, mainly because right after that fiasco which Stiles would gladly think about never again - _Thank you very much brain, let’s forget it ever happened, alright?_ He quickly grabbed his headphones and pressed play on the first song he could find. It backfired too, as he was forced to listen to Justin Bieber for the next three minutes, too stubborn to admit defeat and press next. How did a Justin Bieber song get in his playlist, Stiles had a pretty good idea and there would be words the next time he spoke with a certain strawberry blond goddess. There would be strongly opinionated words.

  
  


One moment, he was contentedly jamming to Fall Out Boy and the next there was blackness and a hand on his shoulder, gently shaking him awake, a soft voice telling him that the plane was about to land. 

They silently waited for their luggage, Stiles still groggy from his three hour nap and Derek, Stiles couldn’t really tell if it was tiredness or just plain old Derek-ness but he didn’t really care. What he cared about at the moment were his bags and later on, food. The wait seemed to stretch on forever, probably because of his increasing impatience and once they finally received their things, Stiles all but ran towards the first food corner he could find. 

Derek begrudgingly agreed to live with Stiles’ family, but insisted on finding a job and a place of his own as soon as possible. It was something they would have to talk about again, it wasn’t like Stiles wanted to hoard Derek in ‘his’ tower and keep him there forever, however there was a reason he dreaded the day Derek would leave. However, that was before Stiles told him about the Nogitsune and he hoped that Derek would think about the issue again, especially after seeing that he really wouldn’t be a liability to Stiles’ family and that they really wouldn’t mind him living there indefinitely. _For a year or two ideally. Or longer._ Stiles’ traitor brain supplied.

‘Is someone going to pick us up?’ Derek asked exactly as Stiles took another bite of his overpriced sandwich. 

‘Uf shur, ‘appy’s ‘omwhere ‘ere.’ Stiles replied with his mouth full, stubbornly stuffing it even more.

‘Excuse me?’ 

‘Happy is somewhere here. I’m supposed to call him but you’ve surely noticed I was too hungry to do that before. I’m gonna text him after I’m done eating, if that’s okay with you.’ Stiles managed to say before taking another bite. There was no reason to argue about it, and Derek seemed to realize it as well and simply nodded as a response.

‘Who is Happy?’ Derek asked after a few seconds of companionable silence, right when Stiles finished eating his meal. 

‘Pops’ handyman. I’d say he was his chauffeur, but I’m not really sure about that. Therefore, handyman it is.’ Derek only nodded again right as Stiles’ phone beeped with an incoming text message. Stiles looked down at his phone and started walking, fully expecting Derek to automatically follow. 

They managed to find Happy’s car in about ten minutes. Stiles shortly hugged the older man before introducing him to Derek and the other way around before the three men took their places in the car and Happy started the engine. They talked for the first twenty minutes, Happy asking them about their flight, if Stiles was looking forward to attending a new school and other small-talk topics. Derek chipped in with a few chosen one word sentences, while Stiles ran his mouth at full speed while moving his arms around animatedly, as if the topics were that interesting to talk about. They weren’t, but Stiles liked Happy, asked him about his wife and children too before politely asking if he and Derek could have a little privacy, closing the window that was between the driver and the passengers. 

‘So.’ Stiles started quietly, knowing Derek could hear him perfectly well. ‘Now’s probably the best time to tell you where I went last summer. Well, not just last summer, all of the summers, really.’ Stiles paused to take a calming breath so that he wouldn’t freak out. After all, it wasn’t every day he told people his biggest secret. 

‘My pops is Tony Stark.’ Stiles managed with a shaky breath. ‘Aunt and uncles are the rest of the group, at least I call them that.’

‘I figured.’ Derek replied calmly.

‘You - you … WHAT?’ 

‘We’re in New York, your father being a celebrity narrowed it down. Plus you look awful lot like him. Terrifyingly smart too, so I checked the box and it fit. Plus, you said your uncle wanted to adopt me so I guessed it was Banner. It’s no secret that while he is an award winning scientist, he also transforms into a green monstrous rage machine and so would be interested in someone with similar experience and DNA. I lived in New York before, you remember? And I know you. The only reason for you not telling anyone outright who your real father was had to be that he leads a highly public and dangerous lifestyle which would ultimately endanger you if you were present and open about your relationship. There weren't many to choose from. Plus, Happy’s wearing a Stark Industries suit.’ 

Derek looked at Stiles who was stunned at the moment with a shit-eating grin. Stiles only needed a few seconds to shake off the amazement though, and as he processed the information, he muttered to himself. ‘I know you aren’t just a pretty face. Don’t need to boast so much.’

He knew he sounded like a teenager, however he felt like he had the right to sulk. It was the first time he gathered the courage and told someone and all he got was a smug ‘I know’ in response? He wanted outrage, surprise, chaos, anything really but was robbed of the experience. And he wanted to sulk too, enjoy it properly, but only in half. The other half was impressed with Derek who figured it all on his own, much like Lydia had. The difference being with Lydia, he hadn’t even hinted and she came barreling down one random evening.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry that I went for the obvious, but I'm kinda in love with Tony and Stiles being father/son. <3 Plus, now you probably know who the brother's going to be. :D Though I don't know if I'll get to him in the next chapter yet. It would feel too rushed in my opinion.
> 
> Honestly, I already feel kinda stuck - don't know if I should continue with the storyline from Stiles' perspective or add a random Derek POV now. I don't feel ready for the 'meet the Avengers' chapter you know?


	3. I’m Sitting Pretty In My Brand New Scars

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> OH NO! She decided to finally upload a new chapter? Yeah well, it's Christmas after all. :-D
> 
> So yeah... I'm not really sure about this one. Fresh from the writer oven.

Stiles was growing more impatient with each passing second of the ride to the tower. He knew that Derek could probably smell it on him but he couldn't help himself, especially since they started passing familiar neighborhoods. The ride wasn’t bad though, it was almost liberating to be somewhere familiar but without the constant need to watch his back and if the lessened tension in Derek’s shoulders showed anything, the feeling was definitely mutual. 

Stiles wondered, and not for the first time, if New York will suit the werewolf better. From what he understood, big cities weren’t anything like Beacon Hills, territory-less, because the hassle of maintaining it was too great and there was no way of knowing if someone had broken in or not. As per Derek’s explanation, there were some estimated packs, but nobody to answer to. Stiles understood the explanation in theory, however used to living in a Hell Hole no. 2, understanding the reality of it was a bit problematic. Because without a pack monitoring their territory, they all would be already dead. Stiles made a mental note to ask again later when Happy rolled down the black window separating them. 

‘Stiles, I’m sorry to tell you but the team has apparently just flown away for a mission. Tony says to behave yourself while they’re away.’ The bodyguard said, huffing with suppressed laughter.

‘Behave ourselves? That’s rich coming from him.’ 

‘Yeah, it’s just that you two are so similar in most things, I think he forgets you’re not actually him, son.’ 

‘How are they similar?’ Derek decided to chip in, making Stiles squirm a little. That was way more loaded question than Derek probably realised and Stiles didn’t want the mood to darken.

‘Well, they both are extremely smart and sarcastic, they look very similar, both get panic attacks, same style of humor, and both are little shits that make my job a living hell.’ Happy answered Derek in a teasing manner. 

‘Yeah, except pops’ an international hero and I’m.. not.’ That, that was exactly was Stiles didn’t want to say out loud, but _let’s face it, it could have been worse. You could have said you were the opposite._

‘That’s not true.’ Derek muttered, seemingly offended by Stiles not thinking in that way about himself. 

‘Derek, none of us are heroes. Except maybe for Scott.’ And yes, maybe he earned the sceptical look Derek was just sporting. It was half true though. Scott was the only one who didn’t have any blood on his hands. It’s not like he didn’t make any mistakes, he definitely had, but he never killed. The same couldn’t be said about Derek or Stiles. Especially about Stiles. 

‘Scott’s a coward, not a hero. You do what you have to even though it kills you on the inside.’ Derek replied and Stiles chose not to answer. It was best to end that conversation for the time being, since Stiles noticed Happy shooting an interested look their way. There were things he would rather keep to himself and far away from Tony Stark. Happy might be relieable, but his loyalties lay with his father.

* * *

It didn’t take Stiles much time to unpack at all, partly thanks to Darcy’s summer shopping spree and partly because - well, why would he need to explain that, he spent every summer with Tony and the bunch, of course Tony wouldn’t let him wear that much plaid. Apparently, it hadn’t offended only Lydia’s fashion sense. Who knew?

That is how he found himself in his room, bored out of his mind, laying on his bed, thinking. Thinking was a thing Stiles tended to avoid as much as he could nowadays, so he reached across his bed, grabbing his phone and dialing Lydia. 

‘Yes Stiles?’ Lydia’s voice could never be described as sweet or pleasant. Stiles learned that after becoming her friend. She wasn’t being mean on purpose, Lydia Martin was just that kind of person who sounded ‘offended formal’ on a daily basis, nevermind who was on the other end.

‘Hi Lyds, I just wanted to tell you that we’re in New York, unpacked and unharmed.’ Stiles reported, rolling from his belly on to his back, staring at the ceiling.

‘That is nice to hear. How was Derek?’

‘Very Derek-y. You know how he is. Angsty nice.’ 

‘Yes.’ Lydia replied, sounding in deep thought. ‘He does act like that around you, doesn’t he?’

‘What do you mean around me?’ 

‘Do you actually think that Derek Hale is anything but angsty rude in anyone else's presence?’ Lydia asked in a mocking voice. ‘He still scares little children on Halloween with his fangs, Stiles. Mrs. Neighy complained to me that little Thomas came home crying.’ 

‘That’s interesting. Do you think he’s nicer to me because I constantly save his ass? Also. Thomas is a dick, he deserved it.’

‘Sure, may as well be. Stiles, I have to go now, class is starting.’ And with that, Stiles was left alone with a beeping tone that signalled the end of a conversation. 

Derek Hale was ‘nice’ to Stiles. Who knew? Well obviously Lydia knew, but that was hardly surprising. Stiles sure as hell didn’t. It was a revelation, honestly. Sure, the guy didn’t threaten to bite his head off anymore, but he still hadn’t completely lost the habit of shoving Stiles against any and all hard surfaces. Not that Stiles complained. Not at all sir. 

Before he could continue that thought though, he heard a knock on his door. Telling Derek to come inside, Stiles quickly sat up. 

‘I’m done unpacking. Would you mind giving me a tour?’ Of course, Stiles knew that he had forgotten something important. A tour of the living space was definitely important. The first room they walked in was the shared living room, connected straight to the kitchen. There wasn’t all that much to show Derek on the floor except for some labs and private apartments.

They were done pretty quickly, so Stiles decided to show Derek some other floors that were safe for him to tour. He showed Derek the gym, the library, the coffee shop, the canteen and some others that he didn’t really think Derek would need to know the location of but it couldn’t hurt to know. 

After that they asked for a food delivery that Jarvis was more than happy to provide and settled in the living space. 

‘I can’t believe my neighbours are Captain America and Hawkeye.’ Derek muttered, still in shock of the fact. Apparently, figuring out Stiles’ secret wasn’t so much connecting it to the fact that it was real. Stiles could relate. He gave Derek some time to process, chatting with Jarvis and eating his noodles. Chinese from across the street was the best. 

After they ate their lunch, both Stiles and Derek didn’t know what to do anymore. Stiles wasn’t prepared for a day alone with Mr. Sourwolf. He was prepared for the clusterfuck that was Tony, Clint and Darcy, all of them trying to poke their new werewolf toy with some kinds of a stick. Hopefully not an electric stick this time. As it was, the team was gone for who knew how long and Darcy wasn’t yet aware of them being in the tower.

They were both sitting across each other, full of delicious food, staring at the other like they were seeing the other for the first time. Derek looked so much younger already, closer to his own age. The shadows that seemed permanently painted onto his skin were faded, his shoulders less heavy, his eyes less dark. It was about half an hour after any of them spoke last, when Stiles finally cracked. 

‘So, I need to talk to you about stuff. Important stuff.’ 

Derek’s only answer was a raised eyebrow.

‘I told you that I might not be entirely human. The thing is, I’m not sure what I am. I am still human okay, don’t give me that look Sourwolf. But remember how way back Deaton told me I was a Spark?’ Derek only nodded, not interrupting Stiles as he spoke. ‘Well, nowadays I’m more of a flame? Fire? Something more than a Spark anyway. I’m definitely not a Druid, that’s why I said that Deaton can’t help me anymore but I’m something. I don’t even know what I’m capable of, I don’t really want to ask the Void. That’s what I call him and anyway, I don’t think he’d have an answer either.’

‘What do you mean Stiles?’ 

‘It’s like I don’t need mountain ash to lay a line anymore. I’ve literally set stuff on fire with the power of my mind too, elements seem to be kinda cool to play with. I don’t know man. It’s weird. I feel like a fucking W.I.T.C.H., minus Will though, so I.T.C.H.? .... Yeah that sounded better in my head.’ Stiles sighed, rubbing his hands against his face in desperation. 

He didn’t know anything at first, it was so gradual, so new to him that he was freaked out of his mind. It wasn’t like he needed new powers either, he was kind of badass as a human. Always the one with the plan, the one on the move, the one constantly overlooked by everyone. In that aspect, he understood why Nogitsune had picked him. It was his power, always would be. He himself was as similar to a fox as a human could be.

Lost in his thoughts, Stiles didn’t notice Derek move, but that didn’t matter as there was suddenly a reassuring hand gripping his shoulder and a comforting heat of another body nearby. Only a year before, Stiles would have jumped in surprise but the truth was, Stiles wasn’t surprised by much these days. Each day he resembled Derek more and more. _Except for the body dude._ Yeah, not thinking about that.

He smiled and joked the same as before, but he knew that he wasn’t fooling anyone. _If you’re going through hell, keep going._ The smiles never reached his eyes anymore and the jokes weren’t thought through. His chatter was somehow dulled as well. Stiles has been walking for a while now, and it showed. It showed on all of them. Lydia wasn’t so shallow and naïve anymore either. She grew into herself, becoming a force to be reckoned with. The two of them were a fearful team - Lydia a solid volcano, while Stiles was like erupting lava. The opposites that complimented each other. He never had that with Scott and that’s why he believed that she was the friend he was always supposed to have. 

He and Derek on the other hand? What were they? Except for, apparently, quite the pair. Stiles knew that he used to be his sidekick. Not Scotts, Scott was never really in the picture as much as Stiles was and that was his own choice. Yet, Stiles wasn’t just a sidekick to Derek’s Batman anymore, was he?

‘Hey Derek, do you wanna meet my brother?’ Stiles finally managed to ask, when his mind slowed down enough for him to escape the constant inner monologue. 

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter is going to be posted on 31.12.2020 14pm CET/GTM+1/UTC+1 ❤️


	4. Two Can Keep A Secret If One Of Them Is Dead

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So, I decided to delete the previous attempt at this chapter and post this as a new one because it kind of felt like a different chapter. <3

Stiles was looking around the campus, taking in the peaceful view. Most people wouldn’t probably call the bustling city full of loud traffic peaceful but after everything that happened, pretty much anything non-deathly seemed peaceful to him. Sure, he knew that New York wasn’t all puppies and butterflies but until something actually tried to kill him here, it would feel like a pretty damn good vacation. 

Stiles could see the way Derek’s shoulders lost a bit of the ever present tension already, not even a full day of coming here so he presumed that he wasn’t the only one feeling that way. It wasn’t an instant fix though, the change of scenery only could help so much. They would need a lot more time to be actually able to relax and let go. 

Stiles thought about their unusual lives quite frequently. How different might have Derek been before the fire, if Scott would still be his best friend hadn’t Stiles dragged him into the woods and Scott would never have been bitten but mostly about the way his innocent past self was probably lost forever with the ever present darkness that haunted his mind for the past year. Maybe his innocence was lost forever, it’s just the way it goes, but the curiosity he was born with. That would never go away. It was always both a blessing and a curse. 

For Scott, the turning point was the bite. For Derek, Kate Argent. For Stiles though, it was different. He couldn’t blame it on anyone else than himself. The sacrifice at the Nemeton was Stiles’ point of no return. Because of it, he had to live with the darkness the Darach put there. Scott, as a werewolf, hadn’t been so affected and neither was probably Allison. It wouldn’t have wrecked him either hadn’t he gotten possessed in the process. And then the fucker had to use his body to kill two hundred and twelve people in total. The poor hospital, Allison and Aiden. And what was worse, Stiles remembered loving it. Sure, he knew that those weren’t his emotions but that didn’t help at all. It ate him up every second of every day and that was probably what the bastard wanted in the first place. Sometimes Stiles felt like losing his mind, but only if he let himself think about it. 

So, peaceful. The city felt like a great escape with just a little taste of Piña Colada. The school looked great too, even if he wasn’t entirely prepared to actually attend it but the size of it made Stiles feel a little better. Because that’s what dear ol’ pops decided, that Stiles would finish his studies here with Peter. It was probably the best option too, however Stiles still felt like he didn’t belong in this world. His world was a bloody massacre with just a glint of sarcasm and a lot of research. Midtown High didn’t even offer lacrosse activities but maybe that could be a good thing. Maybe he could pretend to be normal again.

‘You think Peter will be happy to see me?’ Stiles asked Derek who was still eyeing the campus, looking like a fish out the water. That wasn’t entirely new though, he always looked like that while hanging around high schools in a leather jacket that made him look hard around the edges. 

Derek stilled though, after hearing the question and turned to look at Stiles. They were standing close to each other and Derek could probably hear Stiles’ heart pick up the speed a little. ‘Why wouldn’t he? You said he was your brother.’ And wasn’t that an astounding observation. Ten points to Gryffindor.

‘Yeah, sure. You’re right.’ Stiles muttered nervously. ‘It’s just… I haven’t seen him since before the whole ‘ _darkness thy name is Stiles’_ deal and I can’t help wondering if he’ll still like me. Scott didn’t.’ Stiles didn’t mean to pity himself and he knew that Derek knew it too. It wasn’t like him. He just didn’t want to lose another person. He could try to pretend but that wouldn’t go well, seeing how tired of pretending Stiles was. 

Derek scowled. ‘Scott has always been an idiot.’ 

‘Yeah but he used to be my idiot.’

And that was it. There wasn’t much to say to that. At least that was what Stiles thought but apparently Derek thought differently on the subject.

‘He wasn’t though. Since he became a wolf.’ He scowled even more, which should have been impossible in Stiles’ opinion but this is Derek Hale we’re talking about. Nothing was impossible for him. 

‘Look, I know you don’t want to hear this but you should.’ Derek continued. ‘After getting bitten, his only thought was Allison, not you. That’s why we ended up saving each other so often isn’t it? I knew I couldn’t possibly rely on him to save my ass and later I couldn’t - we couldn’t rely on him both. The Gerard stunt he pulled? That was the beginning.’

After that, Derek sighed like it cost him way too much to actually verbalize his thoughts and while Stiles wanted to be angry with him, he also knew the man was right. ‘I just. I don’t think he was yours as long as you’d like to think. Even with Isaac, Erica and Boyd - even if we didn’t want to accept it, you were always in my pack not his. It’s why I couldn’t leave you out of it even though I tried- It’s why I always ended up crawling into your room and demanded things, why I had to make sure you were alright. Boyd was my second but without you I’d be dead too.’

Stiles felt like Derek wasn’t saying everything he meant to say but hearing Derek actually form full sentences was enough of a shock to let it go. They spent another five minutes sitting on a bench in front of the entrance without a word before Stiles got impatient and pulled out his phone to text his brother.

**To: BabyBro**

Are you nearly done with the school?

He didn’t even have to wait long for the reply to come. His phone buzzed in just a few seconds. Peter probably had some boring class, Stiles assumed. He couldn’t even blame Peter for using his phone during class because that’s just what teenagers do. 

**From: BabyBro**

5 MINS. Why?

**To: BabyBro**

Waiting in front.

**From: BabyBro**

ARE YOU SHITTING ME?

**To: BabyBro**

Wait and see.

In all honesty, Stiles felt just as out of place as Derek looked. Even if the size of the school promised anonymity, he would still be fresh meat and that always attracted some attention. Not that Stiles wasn’t used to attention, just maybe not of this kind. Usually there were more ropes, claws, threats or even guns accompanied by it. This should feel like a walk in a park.  
  


Except that for some reason it really didn’t. Stiles was supposed to start attending this school come Monday, yet he felt too old for that. He only had one year left anyway. He knew he could suffer through it, that wasn’t the issue that kept him awake at night. What did keep him awake at night was the thought of meeting all the important people in his life while looking like he just came back from participating in Hunger Games. Also nightmares. Nightmares kept him from getting a decent night’s sleep as well. Peter wasn’t prepared to meet the shell of a brother he used to have! What was Stiles thinking coming down here, pretending to be something he was not? He didn’t just feel too old for this, he must have even looked the part. Hollow cheeks, dark circles under his eyes, darkness inside his brain (no, he wasn’t so cheesy as to say in his heart), dim eyes where brightness used to be. His quick brain no longer connected directly to his brain without a filter. He was someone new, someone different. Someone awfully similar to creepy uncle Peter in some ways, even though Stiles would never admit to it outloud. It was probably why Uncle Creeper liked him so much. And he wasn’t fooling anyone, it was right there in front of their eyes. His outfit didn’t help either. 

Stiles didn’t even know how much of that he said out loud although he could guess now that he recognised the panic attack that suddenly overcame him. Stiles was so down the rabbit hole that he almost missed the silky soft touch on his lips. Only almost though and as he focused on the sensation more, he also noticed what it was that was touching him or more importantly, who.

There Stiles was, having a perfectly fine panic attack and now was the time the universe decided to fuck him over and let Derek freaking Hale kiss him? 

‘Shut up. Lydia said it worked.’ Oh, he said that out loud as well. It worked though, Lydia was right about that. Of course she was. That would have shocked him out of anything, probably even his own death. And was Derek Hale actually blushing? No, Stiles decided, that was probably just bad lighting. So what if they were outside on a sunny afternoon? Weirder things had happened.

‘Who are you and what have you done with Derek?’

‘Name’s Miguel.’ Derek replied dryly.

‘Ha! So funny. Please don’t try to joke, it doesn’t suit you.’ And that was it, crisis averted. Well, one crisis averted, the other was starting to blossom but that thought had to be postponed to a later date when he wasn’t in the werewolf’s company. _Think about bunnies, Stiles, cute little bunnies. Bunnies? Bunny teeth. Oh crap._

‘God Derek, we look like some action movie characters.’ Stiles turned his head toward the older man, utterly terrified. ‘I’m Baby and you’re Griff. Jesus Christ.’

Stiles was too preoccupied with his inner turmoil to notice the two figures approach them. ‘Stiles! There you are!’ Stiles reluctantly opened his eyes, which he didn’t even notice closing before and turned to meet the familiar voice. ‘No way you’re actually here! See Ned? I told you my bro was here! He didn’t believe me you see? Noob. Well, Ned - but he’s a noob too.’

There was the feeling of sad reminiscence again, and judging by Derek’s eyes, he wasn’t the only one who remembered the innocent sixteen year old Stiles with the same energy and gesticulation. Stiles missed that person he once used to be. The two of them stood up from the bench they were sitting on to properly meet the younger boys. 

‘Hi Ned, I’m Stiles and this is Derek.’ Peter’s friend only shyly nodded. Stiles could sympathize. Meeting Derek Hale, or any Hale for the first time was scary as hell. They just had this aura on them, that specific: _This is private property_ one or even the _I’ll rip your throat out - with my teeth_ one. It wasn’t exactly pleasant.

‘And I’m Peter. Stiles’ younger brother.’ Peter joined in the conversation, as if there was any chance someone didn’t know already, flashing a bright smile towards Derek who politely smiled back. The smile never reached his eyes, making Derek look even more like a serial killer model than when the man scowled. 

‘Right, so now that we know each other, what do you guys want to do? I won’t be so boring to ask about school, come on.’ Stiles asked. The other kid looked a bit skittish, like he would most decidedly like to go home, thank you very much. Even that Stiles understood. 

‘Um, Peter? Can we talk?’ The Ned kid asked, already trying to put some space between himself and Team Wolf. Peter looked at him, sceptically following each move before nodding and turning his back on them as well and walking a few meters away.

Stiles realised that even though he could listen in to their conversation now, ultimately he decided against it. It wasn’t all that important or even polite.

Derek on the other hand looked very amused by it, not even trying to hide the fact that was indeed listening in. 

‘Okay, I’ll bite. What are they saying?’ Stiles asked, half annoyed, and sat back down on the bench. 

‘Ned says you scare him.’

‘Me? Are you sure it’s not you who scares him? You know, you being all tall, dark and broody?’ 

‘Both of us I guess, but more you than me. He says you’ve got dead eyes, like there’s no emotion behind them.’ Derek scoffed. Well shit, but wasn’t that kid right? Even Stiles couldn’t deny the coldness of his eyes these days. Still, it didn’t mean Stiles was evil, he was as much himself as he could be. He wasn’t supposed to be the scary one. 

‘Yeah well, there’s not much I can do about that.’ He sighed.

‘What do you mean?’ Derek’s head snapped towards Stiles, confusion written all over. ‘Your eyes aren’t dead Stiles. Sure, they used to be a lot brighter but…’ Stiles didn’t even let him finish before telling him off.

‘It’s not just the eyes Derek and you know it. I look like the walking dead.’ Derek shook his head and stepped right in front of him. For a moment there was nobody else in the world, just the two of them. (At least that is how it felt.) Derek studied Stiles for a minute, looking, searching, watching every detail of his body like he hadn’t seen Stiles before in his life or maybe like he was searching for something that wasn’t simply there.

‘You really don’t Stiles. You look like a survivor. You let yourself be sacrificed, possessed, exorcised, you were unjustly framed for multiple murders, all that while figuring out and kicking asses of the monsters of the week. You might not think it, but you are a hero Stiles. To me at least. We would all be dead without you.’ 

‘Some of us are dead Derek. Some of us died. I did too if you remember.’

They looked into each other's eyes for another few seconds before they heard someone fake cough. Stiles, all while being pretty much mush from Derek’s speech and a little bit more in love with the idiot, wanted to kill him at the same time because this? This was exactly what Stiles didn’t want.

‘What? I’m sorry - sacrificed? Possessed? Exorcised? Dead? What the hell are you two talking about?’ Peter demanded, his and his friends’ eyes blown wide open. Hurt and concern written all over them. 

‘Derek, dude, seriously?’ Stiles shot an exasperated look at him. ‘That is not a thing we should be talking about here, in the open, for people to hear.’ Stiles added quickly and a bit hurriedly, slightly growling the word people, successfully shushing them. Hadn’t he just told Derek to be careful half an hour ago? Yes, he did. He totally did. And the idiot had to tell anyway. Now, who didn’t know how to keep their mouth shut? It certainly wasn’t Stiles.

_________________________________________________________________________

  
  


Stiles was furious. They decided to say goodbye to Ned, who didn’t know what to think about Peter’s brother and his companion. Honestly, it was better for him. Better confused than in the know. But Peter? He was completely something else. He was his brother and even though Stiles may not have explicitly told him about the existence of all the things that go bump in the night, he certainly must have hinted, because Peter took those statements as seriously as he could, grilling Stiles for answers. 

‘Do you want me to tell Tony, Stiles? Do you really want that?’ Peter upped his game as the trio reached the living room of the tower. And wasn’t that a low blow. 

‘Okay, fine. We’ll tell you but decide if you want to know. Think about it Pete, red pill or blue pill.’

‘Fuck, is it that bad?’ Peter seemed to be in thought for a second before deciding. ‘Well, since I’ve got something to tell you too, I’ll take the red pill honey bun.’ 

Stiles looked at Derek, who chose to sit next to Stiles on the sofa, which meant that they both were facing Peter who sat on the opposite side of them. They exchanged some meaningful looks, debating whether to tell or not, but decided on ‘why the fuck not’. There was even a battle of epic proportions thrown in there, where they battled over the privilege of who was going to be the one to tell Peter. 

It went something like this:

**Stiles:** You tell him, it’s your fault.

 **Derek:** No way, he’s your brother.

 **Stiles:** Remember I had to tell my father about you all?

 **Derek:** So? He is your father.

 **Stiles:** And I had Cora there to help?

 **Derek:** We are not talking about this. Stiles, he’s your brother, he doesn’t want to hear it from me.

 **Stiles:** Fine! But you’re helping Cujo!

‘So, red pill?’ Stiles asked Peter, giving him one last chance to back off. 

‘Yeah, definitely. Though you are kind of scaring me, if I’m being honest.’ Peter wiggled in his armchair. Possibly to find a better way to sit, possibly to hide his uneasiness. 

‘Sure then. It all started when I persuaded Scott to go looking for a dead body with me.’


	5. Update

Hi, I’m sorry that I’m not updating frequently anymore 😭 my laptop broke and I don’t like to write on my phone so I’m waiting a bit to get a new one and then I’ll start posting ASAP. 💕 

Thank you all for your patience 💕


End file.
